Spinning method without a flyer as well as an apparatus with a draft system

ABSTRACT

Proposed is a spinning method for the direct spinning of sliver (FB′) by means of a ring spinning machine ( 200 ), whereby one or more slivers (FB′), which said slivers were previously produced in a carding ( 100 ) or a combing machine, were drafted in a first draft system ( 4 ) situated upstream of the said ring spinning machine ( 200 ) to produce a single sliver (FB′), which, without the interposition of a flyer was made available to the ring spinning machine ( 200 ), in which the said single sliver (FB′), by means of a second draft system ( 204 ) is drawn and formed into a yarn (G). The invented method characterizes itself in that the sliver (FB′), at the output of the first draft system ( 4 ) has a band weight less than 2.5 ktex and is provided with a protective winding, and in that this sliver (FB′) in the second draft system ( 204 ) is subjected to a draft of more than 30. Likewise, an apparatus to carry out this method is also proposed.

The invention concerns a spinning method without recourse to a flyer, for the direct spinning of sliver and also concerns an apparatus with a draft system in accord with the principal concepts of the independent claims.

Various attempts have been made known, of directly spinning fiber on a ring spinning machine. In the case of spinning methods of this type, it is possible to eliminate the use of the flyer so that costs and space can be saved. It is particularly well known, that sliver with a band fineness of ca. 5 ktex in connection with a first draft system, which is normally a component of a draw frame, can be stored in a can. These cans are then brought to a movable creel, on which they are pulled away and fed into respectively one spinning position of a ring spinning machine. Since on the said creel, distortions of the sliver can occur, at this location no bands of less than 3.5 ktex are allowed. Since the distortion at the ring spinning machine is machine-limited, it is possible with this known method, to spin chiefly only rough ring yarn. This method has not been particularly well accepted due to: difficult access for maintenance, necessary space for the cans and the said distortion.

One achieves finer yarns normally by the interposition of a flyer, by means of which a fiber with a band weight, for example, of 5 ktex is drawn to a pre-yarn with a roving of 200-1200 tex and wound onto a spool, in order that this can then be delivered to a ring spinning machine.

It is the purpose of the invention, to develop a method and a corresponding apparatus, in accord with the principal concepts of the independent claims, in such a manner, that fine to very fine yarn can be obtained without the installation of a flyer.

This purpose is achieved with the said method and the said apparatus by means of the features of the independent claims.

The central concept of the invention is to be found in that, in the first draft system a thin band is produced, that subsequently, is reinforced with a protective winding and thereafter, in a second draft system can be drawn at high tension.

In comparison with the state of the technology, in this operation, one or more fiber bands are drawn in the first draft system to a thin sliver, which lies below the usual sliver band weight at the output point of a draw frame. It is indeed of common knowledge, by means of the known draw frames, to draw one or more slivers down to 1.5 ktex. The resulting sliver, in this case however, is not provided with an effective protective winding, if one ignores the small protective winding (in the area of one winding per meter fiber), which, is obtained by means of the combination of a rotating fiber duct and an oppositely disposed, essentially slower rotating, round storage can. However, in the present state of the technology, this sort of a thin sliver could not be fed directly into a second draft system. Conversely, by means of the procedure of the invented method, very fine yarn in the range of less than 10 tex and smaller can be obtained, which is not possible with the known procedure. This means, that yarn can be produced thus without the interpositioning of a flyer and the produced yarn can satisfy the highest claims for fineness. A flyer, characterized by high labor time and excessive occupying space, in accord with the invented procedure, is no longer required.

In accord with the invention, the sliver produced from the first draft system has a band weight of less than 2.5 ktex and in an advantageous manner, less than 1.3 ktex. Particularly preferentially, the band weight from the first draft system can lie at less than 0.8 ktex. Such bands can be made by a draw frame, in that one or more fibers can be conducted to this draft system. As an example, it is possible, that a single sliver brought to the draft system can have a density of 5 ktex, which has been subjected in the said draft system to a pull of 6, in order to obtain a sliver with a fineness of less than 1 ktex. In the case of, for example, four slivers to be doubled with respective weights of 5 ktex and a draw of 20, would make up a single sliver with a fineness of 1 ktex.

The invented apparatus characterizes itself, in addition to the thinness of the sliver to be produced, in that the means for the production of a protective winding is so designed, that the number of protective winding turns per meter of produced sliver is greater than five, however, it is advantageous if the said number is greater than ten.

The invented method permits, that the delivery speed of the sliver produced from the first draft system can be selected to be greater than 250 m/min, since the said protective winding causes the band to be self reinforced.

Particularly advantageous, is that the second draft system, which is part of a ring spinning station can be so designed and operated, that it has a draft of more than 40, advantageously more than 70 and highly recommended at more than 100.

In the case of a sliver produced by a first draft system with, perhaps, a band weight of 1 ktex and for example a draft of 100, there will be a yield of a yarn of the fineness of 10 tex, which, in most instances suffices to satisfy demands for fineness.

The storage of the drawn sliver, which has been made in the first draft system, is conveniently carried out in cans. Advantageously, the drawn sliver can be wound on a spool, which would be located following the spinning machine, especially if the machine is a ring spinning machine.

In accord with a particularly advantageous embodiment example, the spool for the said winding of the drawn sliver is arranged with a horizontally aligned spool axis. This offers the advantage of traversing the spool back and forth in a horizontal direction, in order, for example, to achieve either a crossed or a parallel winding of the sliver on the spool body.

In accord with an alternate embodiment example, instead of the rotating spool, which has the said horizontal axle, the traverse operation is carried out by a component of the storage organ, which, in this case, is designed as a sliver duct. In this arrangement, that end of the sliver duct, which is proximal to the spool, runs back and forth along the spool body. That end of the sliver duct, which is distant from the spool, can be made stationary, whereby the sliver duct then moves in the manner of a pendulum.

Advantageously, in the cases of the above embodiments, the said sliver duct, during its pendulous motion, can also be set into rotary motion, in order to create a protective winding over the sliver on the spool.

In accord with an advantageous alternative, it is possible to set the spool erect, thus its longitudinal axis now being vertical, whereby the spool, for the winding of the sliver produced in the first draft system, can traverse, so to speak, up and down. Even in this case, the spool, in accord with an alternative embodiment, can be stationarily anchored, while the discharge end of the said sliver duct traverses perpendicularly along the vertical spool body.

In order to establish the protective winding on the drawn sliver from the first draft system, there are a number of possibilities available, each of which is well known. As an example, for this purpose at least one nozzle could be installed at the outlet of the first draft system, which, for example, would be designed as a pneumatically operated, compaction nozzle. The compaction nozzle can be provided between the first draft system and the calender rolls, which follow immediately thereafter. Alternatively the compaction nozzle can be placed downstream from the said calender rolls.

The said compaction nozzle has a pass-through duct for the sliver. Advantageously, at least one penetrative boring opens eccentrically into this through passage, which boring runs advisedly angularly, that is, in an inclined manner, to the said through passage. By means of this arrangement, a rotation of the sliver about its longitudinal axis is created in the said through passage, which effects the desired protective winding of the sliver. Alternatively it is possible that the apparatus for the making of the protective winding can include a small tube, which rotates about its longitudinal axis, either alternately in a clockwise or counterclockwise directions or turns in only one direction. Further alternatives allow the placement of components for providing a protective winding, which could include supporting wire helixes, wire screws, rings, flat rotor, rods or the like.

In accord with yet another alternative, (or in addition thereto) means for bringing about the production of the protective winding includes a sliver duct, which is principally known for its use in the placement of sliver in storage cans. A sliver duct usually coacts in combination with a coiler and throws a wide curve, in order to lay down the sliver in accessible loops within the cans.

In one development of the sliver produced in the first draft system on a horizontally mounted spool concerns a preferred embodiment, which is generally installed to attain the protection winding, wherein the inlet and the outlet of the sliver duct are placed in a common, straight line. The sliver duct in this horizontal spool placement, is advantageously rotated about this line, which thus creates an axis of rotation, whereby the desired protective winding is achieved. In the case of a vertical spool alignment, the sliver duct inlet and the sliver duct outlet advantageously are disposed opposite to one another.

Advantageous developments of the invention are characterized by the features of the subordinate claims.

In the following, with the aid of the listed figures, the invention is described in greater detail. There is shown in:

FIG. 1 a schematic presentation of the production line of cotton flocks to a yarn,

FIG. 2 a schematic profile view of the mechanics of a draw frame,

FIG. 3 a draft system with a traversing, horizontal cross winding spool,

FIG. 4 a draft system with a horizontal, parallel winding spool and a traversing sliver duct,

FIG. 5 a draft system with a vertical cross winding spool and

FIG. 6 a, 6 b, 6 c different means for the achievement of the protective winding of the sliver at the outlet of the draft system in accord with FIGS. 2 to 4.

In FIG. 1 a schematic sequence of spinning machines is presented. The feed hopper 105 of a carding machine 100 is filled with cotton fiber, from which the machine produces by carding in a known manner, a fiber band FB. This fiber band FB can be stored in a can 110 and then transferred to the adjacent draw frame 1 (as is to be seen in FIG. 1). Alternately, the now carded fiber band FB can be run continuously directly to the said draw frame 1. The draw frame 1 produces, from one or more fiber bands FB (only a single fiber band FB is shown) only one sliver FB′, which, in accord with embodiment of FIG. 1, is wound upon a spool 70 (see also the following figures.) The draw frame 1 is followed by a ring spinning machine 200 with a multiplicity of belt connected draft systems 204 (only one is shown) which, respectively, are fed by the said spool 70 with the now sliver FB′. The ring spinning machine produces from this sliver FB′ a yarn G, which, likewise, is wound on a spool 290. In accord with the invention, no flyer is interposed between the draft system 1 and the ring spinning machine 200.

A draw frame 1 is detailed in FIG. 2 in a schematic profile view. In this case, several, fiber bands FB, which are not protectively wound, (these are shown here from above) of the draw frame 1 are laid side-by-side together. It is likewise possible, to feed into the draw frame only one fiber band FB, which is produced by a preliminarily placed carding machine or a combing machine. This can be done directly or by the intervention of an intermediate storage such as a can (see FIG. 1). At the entry to the draw frame 1 is arranged a funnel 12, which compacts the fiber bands FB, the output thereof being designated as sliver FB′. Alternatively, other compacting means can be used. After running through a scanning device 2, 3, which serves as a component of an input sensor, the now compacted sliver FB′, now consisting of the converted several fiber bands FB, is conducted into a draft system 4, which forms the basic core of the draw frame 1.

The draft system 4 possesses, in the present instance, three draw organs, namely, roll pairs, between which the actual draw occurs. These are the entry pair 5 a, 5 b, the midpositioned roll pair 6 a, 6 b and the output or delivery pair 7 a, 7 b, all of which turn themselves in the given sequence with increasing circumferential speeds. Because of these differing circumferential speeds of the roll pairs, the sliver FB′, which, within the draft system has become spread out in the manner of a flat band, is compressed along the pressing line of each roll pair, according to the respective circumferential speed. The entry pair 5 a, 5 b combined with the midpoint pair 6 a, 6 b together form the so-called preliminary draw field VF. The midpoint pair 6 a, 6 b and the delivery roll pair 7 a, 7 b make up the main draw field HF.

A deflection bar 20 is further located in the main draw field HF, which diverts the direction of the travel of the sliver FB′ and, in this way, assures a better guidance of the fibers, especially such fibers as have not been compressed between the two roll pairs 6 a, 6 b, and 7 a, 7 b. The drawn sliver FB′, with the aid of a deflecting roll 9 is diverted to a band shaping apparatus 10 and is further consolidated thereby. Further, the sliver FB′, by means of a calender roll pair 13, 14, passes through a turning sliver duct 16, which is set into a rotating, coiling plate 17, which turns with the angular speed Ω, and is so coiled into a sliver can 18 at a speed of V_(L). The sliver FB′ storage, thereafter, is then finished by the stationary duct 16 as well as the rotatable can 18.

It should be mentioned, that in FIG. 1, principally mechanical components of the draw frame 1 are shown. Regulatory apparatuses, main computer, driving means and the like are not shown, since they are not essential within the framework of the present invention and represent embodiments already in common knowledge.

In accord with the invention, the sliver FB′ at the output of the draft system 4 exhibits a band weight of less than 2.5 ktex. Advantageously, the band weight is even less than 1.3 ktex and preferentially it may be shown to be less than 0.8 ktex. The goal of this small band weight at the output of the first draft system 4 is to achieve a yarn on the ring spinning machine 200, which lies in the range of a yarn fineness of less than 100 tex down to 10 tex or even less than that stated range. This is to be carried out giving full consideration to a high pull of more than 30, favorably more than 70, and advantageously more than 100, in the second draft system 204 of the ring spinning machine 200, (see FIG. 1). Up to the present time, such finenesses were not known by methods which excluded a flyer. However, the said finenesses have now been realized by the design of the proposed, invented method and apparatus. The elimination of the complex flyer saves space, time and expense.

In accord with the invention, the sliver FB′, after its exit from the first draft system 4 is provided with an effective protective winding, in order to lend to it a higher degree of strength, so that by this means, the drawing power of the second draft system would not be compromised. In accord with the embodiment arrangement shown in FIG. 3, this said protective winding, which is characterized within the limits of the invented apparatus, runs more than five turns per meter of sliver, This protectional winding is made by means of a sliver duct 26 rotating about a vertical axis 21 (see arrow f1). The input, output ends 26 a, 26 b of the said duct 26 are centrally aligned on the axis 21. The drawn sliver FB′, because of the curve of the sliver duct 26, as well as the rotational movement thereof, thus acquires the desired protective winding, so that it, in accord with the presented embodiment shaping shown in FIG. 3, subsequently winds itself upon a spool 70 of an only schematically indicated spooling apparatus 75, whereby the spool 70 rotates about its horizontal axis 71 (see arrow f2). In order to assure that the apportionment of the sliver FB′ covers the entire spool body, the spool 70 traverses back and forth along its axis 71 (see arrow f3 ). For the sake of clarity, the corresponding spool drives are not shown here. The installed drive can be an individual drive or a multitype drive. A control of the draw frame 100 can be made available by a centralized computer.

The embodiment presented in FIG. 3 illustrates the deposition of the sliver by the sliver duct 26 and the spool apparatus 75.

In accord with the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a spool apparatus 85 is shown with a stationary (non-traversing) spool, which, by means of a schematically indicated drive means 82 is set into rotation about its longitudinal axis 81 (see arrow f4). The spool proximal end 36 b of a spatially swung sliver duct 36 is frictionally connected with an endless, flat belt 88, which can circulate between two, horizontally separated, cylinders 87, 89, the rotational axes of which are vertically aligned. The cylinder 87 is driven by a reversible motor 86, in such a manner, (see FIG. 5) that the flat belt 88 can be traversed back and forth (see FIG. 6). As this is in operation, the outlet 36 b of the sliver duct 36 is being carried from one spool end to the other and back again in the reverse direction. The result of this is that the sliver FB′ is wound upon the spool 80. The distal spool inlet end 36 a of the sliver duct 36 is essentially stationary, so that the sliver duct 36 moves itself in the manner of a slow pendulum. In the presented embodiment example, a parallel winding is effected on the spool 80. Some control means, which would serve to guide the sliver duct 36 with some precision in this said pendulum winding, are not shown, for the sake of simplicity.

The sliver duct 36 is additionally rotated (see arrow f7) about its own axis by a two sided, frictional contact on the part of the flat belt, whereby the desired protective winding in the sliver FB′ is achieved.

As may be seen in FIG. 5, in accord with another embodiment, a spool arrangement 95 with a vertically disposed spool axis 91 is provided at the outlet of the draw frame 1. Also, in this case the spool 90 traverses up and down in the direction of the vertical axis 91 at the output of the draw frame 1, in order to fully wind the said spool over its entire spool height.

A sliver duct 46, which immediately follows the calender rolls 13, 14, serves here also for the provision of a protective winding in the sliver FB′. In any case, the outlet 46 b of the sliver duct 46 is placed eccentrically, so that the sliver duct 46 can rotate around the spool 90 for the winding of the sliver FB′.

Inspecting now the FIGS. 6 a, along with corresponding FIGS. 6 b and 6 c, two possibilities are presented for placing a protective winding about the sliver FB′—alternatively or additionally to a sliver duct 16, 26, 36, i.e. 46) In FIG. 6 a, a rotational-tubule 56 is provided, which is set into rotation about its own longitudinal axis, as is shown by arrow f10. The sliver FB′ winds itself, in this arrangement, about a helical wire 57 running in the interior of the turning tubule 56. Simultaneously with the said rotation, by means of which the sliver FB′ obtains the desired protective winding, as it leaves the outlet of the turning tubule 56 being drawn therefrom by rolls 13 a, 14 a, before said winding is stored in a can or wound onto a spool.

In the FIGS. 6 b, 6 c is an angled sectional view, i.e., a sectioned profile view of a pneumatically pressurized compaction nozzle 66, which possesses a central penetrative passage 67 for the sliver FB′. Into these, open eccentrically two inclined penetrative borings 68 running in the sliver transport direction. These borings 68 are to introduce compressed air (see arrow p11). These can first, be used for the threading of the sliver FB′ into the nozzle 66, or second, for the turning, i.e., a false winding of the sliver FB′ in the nozzle 66 (see arrow f8).

The compaction nozzle 66 can be placed before or after the calender rolls 13, 14. For example, this said compaction nozzle can replace the band shaping apparatus 10 in FIG. 3 or the sliver duct 26.

The invented method permits, that the delivery speed V_(L) (see FIG. 2) of the first draft system can be adjusted to more than 250 m/min, since, because of the protective winding of more than five turns per meter—advantageously more than ten turns per meter—the sliver produced from the first draft system FB′ is sufficiently strong.

The invention is not limited to the presented and described embodiment examples. Alterations thereto within the framework of the patent claims are possible. For example, it is possible that instead of a ring spinning machine, another spinning machine could be used, for example an air or friction spinning machine. Likewise, the possibility exists that the sliver leaving the draw frame could be furnished with an effective protective winding (at least five turns per meter of fiber band), wherein a round storage can—if one such as shown in FIG. 2 is employed—rotates itself with a higher speed of turning than is normal for this rotation. The false winding formation which has been exclusively imparted to the sliver by the rotation of the swung sliver duct (in the range of one turn per meter) can thereby be reinforced. Advantageously, the speed of rotation ratio is 10 to 1 (revolutions per time unit) of the turning plate 17 along with the sliver duct 16 to the can 18. This could advantageously be 4:1, preferred would be 2:1 or, which is still more effective, would be even less than that. From the standpoint of manufacture, this ratio runs about 20:1. It can be recommended, for the offsetting of the speed of rotation ratio, to set the can 18 in a faster rotation, in order to obtain the desired protective winding.

The invention, further, can be inserted in draw frames, wherein the first draft system can be controlled or not controlled. 

1. A spinning method without a flyer for the direct spinning of sliver (FB′) in a spinning machine (200), whereby, in a first draft system (4), located forwardly of a spinning machine (200), one or more slivers (FB′), which previously had been produced in at least one carding machine (100) or a combing machine, are drawn to one single sliver (FB′) which, without the interpositioning of a flyer, is presented to the said spinning machine (200) in which the sliver (FB′), is drawn by means of a second draft system (204) and formed into a yarn (G), therein characterized, in that the sliver (FB′) at the output of the said first draft system (4) possesses a band weight of less than 2.5 ktex and is provided with a protective winding and in that this sliver (FB′) in the second draft system (204) is subjected to a draw of more than
 30. 2-34. (canceled) 